I took my son to Florida’s first Spirit Christmas store. Here’s why we’ll be back.

Spirit Christmas opened its new Winter Garden, Florida, location on Oct. 15, 2026, bringing interactive holiday displays, Christmas decorations, character merchandise and a touch of Creepmas-inspired horror to the Orlando area. We visited the store at Winter Garden Village on opening day to see what shoppers and families can expect.

I arrived ready for Christmas, wearing a green dress and gingerbread earrings, with a playlist of funky Christmas music setting the mood on the drive over. My son and I spent just over an hour exploring, from the Candy Cane Express and larger-than-life holiday characters to aisles filled with ornaments, gifts and decorations. We left with a single $7 toy, plenty of photos and plans to return.

Inside Spirit Christmas: Our opening-day experience

Walking into Spirit Christmas felt like stepping into the holiday season itself, with Christmas music playing throughout the store and the scent of cinnamon filling the air. My son and I spent just over an hour exploring the displays, discovering merchandise and enjoying the festive atmosphere.

Candy Cane Express

Two of the most enjoyable areas for families are Candy Cane Express and Inflatable Land, where there’s plenty to see and do without making a purchase.

Candy Cane Express is the centerpiece of the Winter Garden location and features a colorful train display with a pretend steering wheel and buttons. A few oversized holiday decorations and photo opportunities greeted us as we entered this part of the store as well.

Along the Candy Cane Express area, children can write letters to Santa and drop them into a special mailbox. After my son and I talked about what he might write in his letter, he placed it in the mailbox, which lit up green to indicate he was on the nice list.

Visitors could activate several animatronic displays in this area, including characters inspired by classic Christmas television specials, such as Heat Miser and Snow Miser from “The Year Without a Santa Claus.”

The ice skating Snoopy animatronic and the Santa-hat-wearing Gizmo from “Gremlins” stood out for many shoppers too.

Christmas merchandise, Disney favorites and gifts

Beyond the two attraction-like areas, Candy Cane Express and Inflatable Land, the Winter Garden store is loaded with holiday joys for good girls and boys, especially fans of Disney, “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Harry Potter.”

The aisles and walls of merchandise were neatly organized and well stocked with Christmas ornaments, decorations, apparel, collectibles, toys and gifts. I enjoyed browsing the displays and discovering little surprises around nearly every corner.

Disney merchandise was especially plentiful, with Mickey Mouse, Stitch, Jack Skellington and other familiar characters appearing on everything from holiday signs and ornaments to nutcrackers and accessories. Harry Potter fans could find Hogwarts-themed decorations, house-inspired hot chocolate and Sorting Hat cocoa bombs.

We’ll see how well stocked these items remain, especially since Spirit Christmas is located at Winter Garden Village, a suburban shopping center approximately 20 to 30 minutes from Walt Disney World and 25 to 35 minutes from Universal Orlando Resort by car.

Much of the smaller merchandise I encountered was priced between $12 and $35, although larger decorations and animatronics cost considerably more. Heat Miser, for example, was priced around $350.

I rarely browse brick-and-mortar stores anymore, usually opting for online ordering or pickup at retailers such as Target and Walmart. But there’s something special about walking through the aisles, seeing merchandise in person and stumbling upon things you weren’t necessarily looking for.

Despite all the temptation, we left with just one purchase: a $7 paratrooper toy for my son. It turned out to be a hit, especially when we showed it to my parents, who remembered similar toys from their childhoods.

Creepmas brings Halloween horror into the Christmas season

Not everything at Spirit Christmas is intended for young children. The store has a dedicated Creepmas section featuring horror-themed holiday merchandise, including Ghost Face, Art the Clown and Krampus decorations. Some sexually suggestive merchandise and items featuring profanity were also scattered throughout the store.

I intentionally kept my son away from the Creepmas section, which is located immediately to the right of Inflatable Land. Although a few adult-oriented items appeared elsewhere, I was able to avoid most of them while exploring with him.

For parents with similar concerns, I recommend sticking to Candy Cane Express, Inflatable Land (without venturing to the right) and the front-left quadrant of the Winter Garden store. This layout worked well during our opening-day visit, although merchandise placement could change.

Spirit Christmas Winter Garden: Know before you go

Spirit Christmas is located at Winter Garden Village, a suburban shopping center northwest of Walt Disney World and west of Universal Orlando Resort. It’s outside Orlando’s main tourist corridor but accessible for visitors looking to add some holiday shopping to their vacation.

Address: 3049 Daniels Road, Suite 220C, Winter Garden, FL 34787

Hours (posted for October 2026):

• Monday–Saturday: 10 a.m.–9 p.m.
• Sunday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Admission is free, and there’s plenty to enjoy without making a purchase. We spent just over an hour exploring the store, and I could have happily stayed longer (though the music was very loud).

I’m already looking forward to returning, preferably on a weekday, with my parents along for the fun. Add a festive beverage in hand, and we’ll be laughing all the way through the Christmas aisles!